Journey's Steve Perry Documentary 2001

What was Journey up to during 1998-2001?

Steve Perry: Before They Were Stars 2001

Wheel In The Sky goes to Journey's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

I take a Journey into Hollywood to find the Star. Journey received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and went to see it, to clean it, to be it. You'll see the whole Journey, from the driving to the Star to walking to the Star, to finding the Star, to cleaning the Star, to driving home from the Star.

One of the hottest summer days in 2016. Footage was lost, but I was able to cobble together a video of the trip!

Come check out the Wheel In The Sky YouTube channel!  Click below to watch the video!

Journey's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

JOURNEY "Generations" Italian Press Release from Frontiers Records

On August 29th, 2005, Journey released their second full album with Steve Augeri on Vocals.

Billed as Melodic Rock, Journey's "Generation" hit the streets on August 29th, 2005. This featured the same lineup as Journey's 2001 album, "Arrival" and 2002's "Red 13". Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Ross Valory, Dean Castronovo, and Steve Augeri make up the band.

2005 also marked the 30th Anniversary of JOURNEY. The band celebrated by giving at least one song top each member. Of course Steve Augeri sing the most number of them.

This ad is from Italy and is two-sided. Both sides are shown below. 

Frontiers Records Presents...

JOURNEY "Red 13" Italian Press Release from Frontiers Records

On October 30, 2002, Journey released their first record without Columbia Records, "Red 13".

Billed as Melodic Rock, Journey's "Red 13" hit the streets on October 13th. This featured the same lineup as Journey's 2001 album, "Arrival". with Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Ross Valory, Dean Castronovo, and Steve Augeri on Vocals.

This ad is from Italy and is two-sided. Both sides are shown below. 

Frontiers Records Presents...

Castles Burning, The Herbie Herbert Interview with Matthew Carty 2001

In 2001 Matt Carty interviewed Walter J. (Herbie) Herbert, Journey's Manager from 1973-1993.

Herbie Herbert was the mastermind behind it all. He got Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, and Ross Valory together to create a band that would catapult into superstardom and fizzle out in a flash. He came up with the album names and artwork.

This is the very hard to find interview from 2001 called "Castles Burning". He tells it like he saw it, and felt it.

CASTLES BURNING

Journey Force News 1998 - Steve Perry and Steve Smith leave Journey

This is an old text newsletter I received many years ago. I'm not sure of the origin.


May 7, 1998

Singer Steve Perry has announced that he is officially leaving Journey. The split comes in the wake of a January 1998 conversation between Perry and Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain in which it was decided that, if Perry's health issues prohibited him from committing to a tour at that time, Cain and original Journey guitarist Neil Schon would reform the band with a new singer. Drummer Steve Smith has also left Journey. 

Perry became the lead singer of Journey in 1978 and, over the past two decades, sang on the group's ten platinum-plus albums including the 1996 Trial By Fire CD. Journey, with Steve Perry as vocalist, has sold more than 45 million records worldwide. Steve Perry has recently worked with David Foster and Carole Bayer-Sager in writing and recording "I Stand Alone," the principle track for the soundtrack to the animated feature film Quest For Camelot. 

Journey is currently comprised of new lead singer Steve Augeri (formerly of Tall Stories), original guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Ross Valory, keyboardist Jonathan Cain (a 1981 addition), and new drummer Dean Castranova (formerly of Bad English, an 80's "supergroup" which also featured Schon and Cain). The new Journey lineup has already recorded "Remember Me," a track for the soundtrack to the upcoming summer blockbuster film Armageddon; "Remember Me" was written by Neal Schon and Jack Blades and was produced by Kevin Shirley (who also produced Trial By Fire). The Armageddon soundtrack will be released by Columbia Records on June 30, 1998. 

Journey "Remember Me" single front cover

Journey's Concert Ticket Evolution Through Time part 8, Voices

2005 was Journey's 30th anniversary since the first album was released! Journey was celebrating their 30th by having every member take a shot at lead vocals on at least one song on the new album, "Generations". This may have been a misfire as most of the songs do not sound like Journey. It is nice to hear the different voices, so maybe if the songs were better it would have a difference. The band also gave the album away at the concerts so there wasn't any reason for anyone to buy it.

Maybe the reason to use all of the bands voices was to cover up what was tragically happening to Steve Augeri. It seems Journey's grueling touring schedules have strained his voice. Unable to finish out the 2006-2007 Tour, he was replaced by Jeff Scott Soto to finish out the Tour. Apparently people didn't really like the different voice and demanded a Steve Perry soundalike. This would be the only Tour for Jeff with Journey as he never became a member of the band.

Ticket Prices continue to rise. By now the lowest ticket price listed here is nearly $40.00. My tickets at the Pechanga Inn were a ridiculous $85.00 each for a show that wasn't any different than the show I saw in 2001. This was the last time that I have seen Journey in concert. The crowd were middle aged fans and then some younger adults who probably don't even know who Steve Perry was. I didn't see many teenagers at the show.

The shows consisted again of the greatest hits from the Steve Perry era. Jonathan still enjoyed being Gregg Rolie while Deen Castronovo sang a few songs to ease the strain on Steve Augeri. Ross Valory always keeps consistent while Neal Schon wails on his guitar, so at least we had that.

September 27, 2005 - Nokia Live Theater. Grand Prairie, TX

October 5, 2005 - Pechanga Resort and Casino. Temecula, CA

July 29, 2006 - Smirnoff Music Centre Dallas, TX - Def Leppard

October 14, 2006 - Hyundai Pavilion at Glen Helen - Def Leppard

March 6, 2007 - Manchester Apollo Theatre. Manchester, UK

March 7, 2007 - Manchester Apollo Theatre. Manchester, UK

March 14, 2007 - Hammersmith Apollo. London , UK

Journey's Concert Ticket Evolution Through Time part 7, Vacations Over

1996 brought a reunion of Journey. A new album called "Trial By Fire" was released and the band was set for a new concert tour. Everybody except Steve Perry that is. Because Steve refused to tour, the band was left to find a new singer. Neal's wife at the time found a guy named Steve Augeri online that could fit the band and somewhat sound like Steve Perry. It seems Neal owes a lot of his band to his many wives.

"Remember Me" was the first single with the new singer from a movie soundtrack called "Armageddon." That was in 1998 and then came the "Vacation's Over Tour" which was basically a greatest hits show. In 2001 came the first album with Steve Augeri called "Arrival" and the "Arrival Tour of 2001. In 2002 Journey released an EP called "Red 13" which also had a tour following the release. Again, the shows were greatest hits shows form the Steve Perry days. Jonathan also tried his hand at taking Gregg Rolie's vocals on some of the bands older hits.

Journey was in no way bringing in the crowds like they did in their before. It was great to have Journey back and at first everyone was excited but it wasn't the same. Steve Perry was very much a showman that engaged the audience. Steve Augeri stood there on stage, barely moved and sang wonderfully, but the excitement was missing.

Ticket Prices had jumped dramatically in 10-15 years. The lowest ticket price shown here is $21.50 , and most between $40.00 and $60.00 for a band without their real singer! Add the scalping charge and the prices were outrageous. My tickets were $55.00 each face value, so I must have paid at least $80.00 each to see them at the Greek Theatre on August 14, 2001.

December 15, 1998 - Sarovan Theater. Fresno, CA

December 20, 1998 - Theater of the Clouds. Portland, OR

June 13, 1999 - Blockbuster. Camden, NJ - Foreigner

July 25, 1999 - Starplex  Amphitheater.  Dallas, TX - Foreigner

June 12, 2001 - New Orleans Arena. New Orleans, LA - Peter Frampton, John Waite

August 14, 2001 - The Greek. Los Angeles, CA - Peter Frampton, John Waite

August 15, 2001 - The Greek. Los Angeles, CA - Peter Frampton, John Waite

August 23, 2002 - Konocti Harbor Resort Amphitheater  Kelseyville, CA

September 1, 2002 - Mahoning County Fairgrounds. Canfield, OH

June 8, 2003 - Smirnoff Music Center. Dallas, TX - REO Speedwagon, STYX

Journey's New album and singer stall the arrival of "Arrival"

In 1998 Journey hired a new singer to replace Steve Perry.

The new singer was found how many of Journey's singers are found by his wife at the time and the internet. The lead singer of Tall Stories and Tyketto caught her eye.

His name is Steve Augeri and he worked at "The Gap" when he got a call from Neal Schon.  At first he thought it was a joke but in 1998 he was the lead singer on Journey's new song "Remember Me" for the Armageddon soundtrack.

The album was first released in Japan in December 2000 but, due to its leakage onto the Internet, the band decided to delay its release in the United States. Based on feedback from fans who heard the leaked version of Arrival, the band decided to record two harder rocking songs, which were included on the American version of the album, which now did not retain "I'm Not That Way" from the Japanese release.

Released on April 3, 2001 in the U.S.A. it produced a minor adult contemporary hit with the ballad "All the Way", while rock fans were more satisfied with songs like "Higher Place" and the two new tracks on the American release, "World Gone Wild" and "Nothin' Comes Close".

Peaking at No. 56 on Billboard's album chart, Arrival was the band's first album that did not receive at least gold status, since 1977's Next. It was also their last studio album under Columbia Records, which had been the band's label since their self-titled 1975 debut.

Heres a great article form Ultimate Classic Rock about this album;

15 Years Ago: Journey’s ‘Arrival’ Unfairly Suffers from Steve Perry Comparisons

For some fans of this band at its radio-ready zenith, there simply can be no Journey without Steve Perry – and that sensibility did no favors for replacement singer Steve Augeri. Though he was similarly named, similarly voiced, even similarly maned, none of it could save his debut project with Journey.

Never mind that “We Will Meet Again,” released as part of Arrival on April 3, 2001, meets and maybe exceeds much of their classic-era output. Co-written by Journey stalwart Neal Schon, Augeri and Alabama-based songwriter Kim Tribble, the song builds toward a sweeping vista reminiscent of Journey’s Roy Thomas Baker-helmed sides like “Winds of March” and “Opened the Door,” a welcome development indeed.

An inventively layered rhythm by Deen Castronovo, Journey’s new replacement for Steve Smith at the drums, sets the stage for a moment of controlled fury from Augeri — who, as with every post-Perry Journey singer, is often asked to elevate more than enunciate. Along the way, he turns a lonesome lyric into one of impressive determination. And like those two earlier-mentioned 1978-era tracks, “We Will Meet Again” serves as an emotionally resonant side-closing moment.

Elsewhere, “Higher Place” finds Augeri offering a vocal that bridges the two eras. After an intriguingly episodic opening statement, Augeri sounds enough like Perry to carry Journey to the well-constructed verse — before this Schon/Jack Blades composition finds its own voice within a chorus that’s pleasantly free of imitative ticks. A finely attenuated return to the verse then gives “Higher Place” a taut sense of expectation, almost a proggy feel. In this way, Journey references previous successes, but ultimately uses them as a foundation for something new.

Still, bedrock Journey supporters clearly remained reticent – even though the band had actually started without Perry and he’d long since prematurely retired. In fact, Perry has now been gone far longer than he ever was actually in Journey. Of course, the two decades that followed Perry’s late-’70s arrival would see the group sell roughly one gazillion records, permanently lodging his presence in most music fans’ minds eye when they think of Journey.

This new-look edition of Journey copped to those expectations with “All the Way,” a ballad more in keeping with their earlier Perry-led platinum-era sound, but it only just scraped the Top 40 at No. 39. Arrival then failed to reach gold-selling status, the first time that had happened since the pre-Perry 1977 project Next.

Augeri simply couldn’t shake the ghost of his predecessor, and this was long before Perry began making stirrings about a return. Journey left Columbia, its label home since ’75, after the follow up to Arrival. By 2006, Steve Augeri was gone too, succeeded by Jeff Scott Soto and then current singer Arnel Pineda, a partnership that seems to have finally got the group back on track with fans — and, belatedly, with the Billboard charts.

Journey Under The Stars Summer Tour 1999 with Foreigner

Here is a couple of great backstage passes from the 1999 Summer Tour with Foreigner.

This tour was with Steve Augeri on Lead Vocals...